Omaha daily bee., 1887-08-28
Federation or Trades


The effort OF labor to find plan OF Or |
ganizat!on which shall have the fewest |
possible conditions inviting discord, dis
affection, and consequent disintegration,
and under which there may be secured,
with permanence, the most effective
power and influence attainable by such
organization, will ultimately be success.
full. What experimenting has thus far
been done has not been useless. On the
contrary it has all furnished instructive
experience, and Is leading in the right
direction. Those who have concluded
from the unsatisfactory results thus far
that labor organization Is doomed to fail
ure have fallen into grave error. With
all the mistakes Of the past, the working
men of America have learned too well the
value of organization to abandon it be.
cause there still exists differences
as to the best methods of
self.protection. They have an intel
ligent faith in the possibility of
overcoming or wisely adjusting these
differences, SO that they shall be shorn OF
whatever danger they now present to
united and harmonious action. Notwith.
oeouoihE thC ihOe tuat ptCClpieaIC
and ill-advised strikes have failed, work
ingmcn have continued to find in their
organizations the only means of defense
against combinations of employers to
depress wages. The conditions which
iutify the organization of labor are as
numerous aud as urgent as they have
ever been, and are more likely to increase
than diminish in the future. What labor
requires is to find basis of organizati ON
that shall be permanent and substantial,
and there can be no question that this
| is attainable.
Last year there was organized at Co.
lumbus. o., the "AmerIcan Federation
of Labor" which has since had
II remarkable growth, its mem
bership ut this time being
over half a million. The purpose was to
unite in this federation tho trades unions
and assemblies of skilled workmen who
desire to exercise as much control as
possible over matters affecting their own
occupations and interests. The mem.
bers Of these organizations naturally re.
sist a castiron will which would make
the interests of widely different occupa-
tiOns, as for example shoemakers and
car drivers, in all circumstances ldcnti.
cal. 1t does not seem an unreasonable
question for the carpenter or other
skilled workmcn to ask why he should
put his hand in his pocket and pay
weekly assessments, or throw up his en-
ployment in sympathy. when coal
hoavers or freight handlers are on a
strike. At all events the evidence is that
the skilled labor Of the country has asked
itself this question. and as result
there has been manifested q ten.
dency to revolt against q system
of organization which puts skilled labor
and its interests in jeopardy as often as
unskilled labor may choose to get into
trouble and call upon it for assistance.
| A noteworthy movement in tho cause
of labor federation has just taken place
in Massachusetts. A convention of dele
gates representing many of the trade and
labor unions Of the state was held IN Bos.
ton tho past week, at which plan oi
federation was consummated that viii
unite these organizations for the promo.
ton and conservation Of the interest!
and aims common to all. The spirit o.
the movement IS set forth in resolution
adopted which declares that the ''instlnc
of self preservation demands the closer
union of all bodies OF organized
labor in order that equality O
rights and privileges may be obtained
for wage workers" The proceedings
were marked by ability. good temper
and An earnest desire to accomplish the
end sought upon sound principles. Ex
cellent counsel was given by tho presl
, dent of the National Federation Of
, Trades, who among other things SAID
referring to strikes principle is good
thing, but you cannot win strike on
principle alone. If you lead strike yor
, must provide your men with bread
, Bread will be found sometimes stronger
than principle" The history of labo
conflicts will prove that most of then
have failed because this simple, yet mos
important, consideration was not re
garded. Labor organization is not
I failure, and Is not going to fai
II it appears in some direction
to be breaking up it sin
ply shows that mistakes have bee
discovered which it is necessary I
D remedy, and not that the cause IS bein
). abandoned. More mistakes will
found, and they will serve for instructio
and Improvement. as have those hithel
4 to discovered. Nobody can fairly que:
h ton that the organization of labor is ,
K this time ON higher plane than ever be
. fore, and this being granted the expecta
r ton is justified that it will continue t
n advance until 1t shall have attained
q sound, safe and permanent basis.